asked the Minister of Overseas Development what proportion of Government aid is allocated to enable the receiving countries to achieve economic independence in the near future; what proportion is designed simply to alleviate extreme proverty; and what proportion is held in reserve for mainly political objectives as and when they may arise.

Our aid programme is not allocated with the intention of serving these three purposes. Its main purpose is to help raise the living standards in developing countries, especially by the promotion of long-term development. It covers the whole range between the two extremes of purpose in the Question and serves both to varying degrees. No proportion is held in reserve for political objectives.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what estimate he has made of the current annual effect of Government aid upon the balance of payments.

About one-third of the aid programme, roughly £70 million, is not matched by exports of goods and services and so falls as an immediate burden on the balance of payments. There are also indirect effects, for example, some of these exports may be at the expense of commercial exports; on the other hand the balance of payments benefits from the world aid effort of which our aid forms a part. Further, interest and repayments of old aid loans are coming in at about £60 million a year. For further details I would refer the hon. Member to my speech in the House on 7th May.—[Vol. 764, c. 280–93.]

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what proportion of Government aid goes to Africa, the Caribbean and the dependent territories, respectively.

The proportions in 1967 were:

	Per cent.
Africa	31·0
Caribbean	2·2
Dependent Territories and Associated States (not included above)	15·4

These figures include overseas investment by the Commonwealth Development Corporation.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what further action has been taken by Her Majesty's Government to assist in the training of teachers overseas following the Fourth Commonwealth Education Conference in Lagos.

With my approval, the National Council for the Supply and Training of Teachers Overseas has established a Standing Committee on Teacher Training. This Committee, which is representative of the many interests concerned in the United Kingdom with this key area of educational development, will consider all matters within the functions of the Council relating to overseas teacher training. It is expected to hold its first meeting on 18th June, under the chairmanship of Sir Henry Wood Principal of Jordanhill College of Education, Glasgow. I am sure that this new body will greatly add to our capacity to help developing countries in the training of their local teachers.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement about the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Trumper Report, details of which are in his possession, on land valuation for the Kenya re-settlement schemes financed by United Kingdom public funds.

Mr. Trumper was employed by a private group of farmers in Kenya. I have, however, received a copy of the report from the hon. Member and have given it very careful consideration.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what provision he intends to make this year for aid to South Yemen; and for what purpose.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) today.—[Vol. 764, c. 182–3.]

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what security he has obtained against the loan for £2,800,00 which he has offered to the Government of Ghana.

It is not our practice to require any form of collateral security for aid loans. As is customary in such cases we rely on a formal undertaking to repay the loan given by the Government of Ghana.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will give consideration to a grant or loan towards building a new House of Parliament at Lilongwe, the new capital of Malawi.

No. We prefer to concentrate our limited aid on directly productive development which will raise the standard of living and help reduce Malawi's dependence on British budgetary aid.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will reconsider the decision to remove stamp machines from sub-post offices in certain rural areas, in view of the hardship this has caused to elderly persons.

No. Stamp-selling machines are being withdrawn only from those sites where sales have shown that there is no real public need for them.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the inflationary effects of firms having to pay for 36 display advertisements in the proposed new telephone directories to cover the same existing area of clients as the advertisement in the current telephone directory; and what action he proposes to take to prevent these increased costs.

The proposals will not in themselves increase advertising charges. The circulation of each of the new directories will be proportionally less than the present 1·5 million copies of the A-Z directories and the advertising rates will be correspondingly lower. The new structure will offer firms at present forced to pay for complete coverage of the London Postal Area an opportunity to be more selective in the districts in which they wish to advertise.

asked the Postmaster-General, in planning neighbourhood telephone directories for London, what consultations took place with the appropriate trade unions; and if he will give details of the number and dates of such meetings.

Consultations with the staff side of the Post Office Departmental Whitley Council began in June, 1966, and are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what remits have been submitted to the Welsh Committee of the Water Resources Board on the conservation and use of water resources in Wales; and whether surveys have taken place which cover Breconshire or Radnorshire.

The Committee is constantly concerned with developments affecting the conservation and use of water resources in Wales. It has paid particular attention to the water resources of the Severn basin and in this connection has commissioned surveys which have included two sites in the Dulas Valley which lie partly in Radnorshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether the Welsh Advisory Water Committee set up in February, 1958 is still in existence; and whether the Welsh Committee of the Water Resources Board has the same terms of reference.

The Welsh Advisory Water Committee was superseded by the Welsh Committee of the Water Resources Board in July, 1965. That Committee has similar terms of reference, namely, to advise on matters connected with the conservation and use of water resources in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of wives and children, respectively, of valid polygamous marriages admitted to the United Kingdom as dependants of immigrants.

Separate records of wives and children of polygamous marriages are not kept, but the number admitted to this country is small.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what authority the solicitors' interview rooms in Brixton Prison have been bugged.

The rooms are not bugged.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the names of the members of the Race Relations Board and of the local conciliation committees appointed under the Race Relations Act, 1965; and if he will state the total payment from public funds by way of remuneration and expenses, respectively, to the Board and give the corresponding figures for the committees taken all together.

The members of the Race Relations Board are:Mr. Mark Bonham Carter (Chairman), Sir Learie Constantine, M.B.E. and Alderman B. S. Langton, C.B.E., J.P.Members of local conciliation committees are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of relatives of immigrants already in the United Kingdom who are qualified to enter this country, but have not yet done so.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on !6th May.—[Vol. 764, c. 1377–8.]

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further action he is now taking to promote the development of the tourist industry in Wales.

I am not yet able to add to the statement in paragraph 44 of the White Paper on Hotel Development Incentives presented to Parliament last week (Cmnd. 3633).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the evening daily papers are increasing the charge for their newspapers by 25 per cent.; and whether he will refer this increase to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

I am aware that the London "Evening News" and " Evening Standard" have raised their price from 4d. to 5d., but I do not consider that a reference to the National Board for Prices and Incomes is called for.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the date for publication of the White Paper on

NET PRIVATE DIRECT INVESTMENT (EXCLUDING OIL)
			1966		1967 (provisional)
			£ million	As proportion of total	£ million	As proportion of total
Total	…	…	276	100	267	100
Of which:
Unremitted profits	…	…	183	66	180	67
Other investment	…	…	93	34	87	33

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many licences have been granted for the export of arms to Nigeria during the last three months.

It is established practice not to give detailed information about the granting of licences for the export of arms.

asked the Prime Minister what further consideration he has given to the necessary preparation for an eventual conference on European security; and if he will make a statement.

As I have already told the House, we are discussing with our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies the best way to make progress in the field of European security.

Yes. The White Paper is being published today.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what formal complaints Her Majesty's Government have made to the European Free Trade Association's Council since its inception on matters involving other Governments.

None.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a breakdown of net direct outward investment by the United Kingdom in 1966 and 1967, showing separately the proportions raised by unremitted profits and by other investments.

The most recent estimates are:

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech, made in Birmingham on 5th May, on the subject of aid to local authorities on immigration problems.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech on race relations at Birmingham on 5th May.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech about race relations at Birmingham Town Hall on 5th May.

I did so on 6th May.

asked the Prime Minister whether the speech of the Minister of Employment and Productivity in Margate of 28th April on prices, wages and the standard of living represented the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister what duties are now to be performed by the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave on 22nd May to a Question by the hon. Member for Harrow, West (Mr. John Page).

asked the Prime Minister if the speech of the Minister of Technology made at Llandudno on 25th May regarding changes in the system of Government represents the policy of the Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech by the Minister of Technology on referenda at Llandudno on 25th May represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech by the Minister of Technology at Llandudno on 25th May, about constitutional reform, represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

I would refer hon. Members to the Answer I gave yesterday to a Question by the hon. Member for Moray and Nairn (Mr. G. Campbell).— [Vol. 765. c. 241–2.]

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the difficulty of protecting public property in Wales, he will veto the siting of any new Government offices in the principality in favour of the Northern Region.

No. It would be wrong to allow the activities of a few irresponsible individuals to affect the rational development of the great effort Her Majesty's Government are making to bring prosperity to all parts of the United Kingdom.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the salaries of the Scottish Law Officers, namely, the Law Advocate at £8,000 and the Solicitor General at £5,625, are less than the English Law Officers, namely, the Attorney General at £13,000 a year and the Solicitor General at £9,000 a year; and if he will take steps to effect parity.

The Answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes". As to the second part, I have no such proposals to make at the present time.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list the names and total number of ad hoc bodies, boards, bureaux, commissions and regional authorities appointed by the Government and having functions in England and Wales.

I am not clear from my hon. Friend's Question what particular bodies he has in mind but in any case the compilation of a comprehensive list would be an expensive and time consuming business. If, however, my hon. Friend has any particular point in mind perhaps he would write to me so that I can see whether there is any way in which I can help him.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has received the report of the Reorganisation Commission for Eggs; and what action he intends to take on it.

Yes. My right hon. Friends and I have now received the Commission's report and arrangements are being made for it to be printed and published on 21st June. We are extremely grateful to Mr. Rowland Wright and the members of the Commission for the time and effort they have devoted to their task and the thorough way in which they have dealt with it. We are giving urgent consideration to the Commission's conclusions and we shall be asking the organisations concerned to let us have their comments on the major recommendations by the end of July.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will propose an inquiry to examine whether there would be advantages in economy and convenience in unifying the responsibility for and rationalising the use of assize and quarter session, county and magistrates' courts, which are at present controlled by local authorities, the Lord Chancellor, the Ministry of Public Building and Works, and the Home Department.

The terms of reference of the Royal Commission on Assizes and Quarter Sessions under the Chairmanship of Lord Beeching are such as to enable the Commission to consider the greater part of the suggestions made in my hon. Friend's question. We must await the Commission's report before considering the need for any further inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the revised timing and venue of the Gibraltar constitutional talks.

During my recent discussions with Gibraltar Ministers I invited the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to visit London in June to continue our general consulta- tions. In view of that visit we agreed that it would be inconvenient also to hold the proposed constitutional talks in June and that they should therefore be held in mid-July.Present arrangements are for the talks to be held in Gibraltar but I will keep this matter under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what items of Service clothing are made or bought outside the United Kingdom; in what countries; and what advantages are obtained from their being made there;(2) for what reason the value of contracts of Service clothing placed outside the United Kingdom has increased over the last three years.

Mainly bearskin caps from Canada and special badges and chevrons from Malta. We cannot get all we need of these items from British firms and the demand for them has increased over the last three years, though the size of the orders involved is small.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what constructive non-military work, such as bridge or road-building, British forces have carried out in the last year.

A wide variety of tasks has been undertaken in the past year at home and abroad.Overseas projects include a road in Thailand, an airfield in the British Virgin Islands and bridges in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A party of Royal Engineers will shortly leave for Malta to help implement the recommendations of the Robens Report.Examples of work in the United Kingdom are an airfield in Unst, bridges in Glencoe and Somerset and temporary repairs to over a thousand houses in Glasgow after the January hurricane. Lesser projects have included the construction of a number of paths and footbridges.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is aware that a wreck at Portnaspairia, County Antrim, ownership of which is vested in his Department, is being damaged and looted by foreign frogmen; and what steps he is taking to deal with this situation.

I understand that salvage operations are presently being conducted on a wreck in the area which is alleged to be that of the "Gallia Girona" which sank off Portnaspairia in 1588. However, ownership of this wreck is not vested in the Ministry of Defence, and the prevention of looting of such wrecks is not a Ministry of Defence responsibility. The legislation which covers this aspect is Part IX of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, which is the responsibility of the Board of Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a list of amalgamations and of disbandments of Army regiments and units which have been announced in the past 15 years; and if he will give in each case the date of the announcement and the date on which disbandment took place or on which it is planned to take place.

I regret that it is not possible to compile the list asked for in the time available but I will send the hon. Member the information as soon as it is ready.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many loads of O-chloro-benzal-malonotrite have been moved from Nancekuke in Cornwall to Surrey in the past 12 months; what other substances have made the journey, and in what quantities.

Four rail wagon loads. No other substances have made the journey.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with the police about the additional safety precautions required in the removal of poisonous substances from Nancekuke in Cornwall to Surrey.

None. The transportation of such chemicals is fully covered by "Instructions for the Handling and Conveyance of Dangerous Goods by Rail and Road" issued by British Railways.

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs what was the cost of producing the South-West Regional Economic Report.

As my right hon. Friend explained in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Cornwall, North (Mr. Pardoe) on 24th July, 1967, the cost of printing and publishing the Report of the South-West Economic Planning Council —"A Region with a Future"—was £5,540 against which should be set proceeds from sales.—[Vol. 751, c.62.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is aware that the Greater London Council has increased its fees for the use of football playing fields from 16s. to 35s. and, as this is contrary to the Government's prices and incomes policy and will price many smaller football clubs out of use of these football pitches, whether he will refer these increases to the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

I have been made aware by a number of organisations and individuals of the increased charges by the Greater London Council and I am looking into the question in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what financial assistance is being given by his Department to the Centre for Multi-Racial Studies at Sussex University and in Barbados; and what projects are being undertaken or are planned at the Centre for the eradication of colour prejudice in schools in the United Kingdom.

This Centre is housed in the University of Sussex, in accommodation provided with the aid of grant from the University Grants Committee. The Ministry of Overseas Development is making £80,000 available towards the cost of the setting up of the Centre in Barbados. In addition the Social Science Research Council has approved in principle a grant of £12,469 to the University of Sussex to assist the Centre in undertaking research into inter-ethnic relationships in Barbados and St. Lucia.The work of the Centre is largely concerned with race relationships in the Caribbean area, and no projects are as yet planned bearing closely on colour prejudice in the schools of this country. It is, however, hoped that future work of the Centre will throw light on this problem.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the shortage of trained town planners in central and local government, he will recommend to local education authorities that they should treat sympathetically applications for grants for students who intend to undergo postgraduate training in town planning in universities.

This is best left to the discretion of the local education authorities. The Social Science Research Council has this year taken over responsibility for awards for higher degree courses in town planning.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pre-school classes for under-fives are run by local educational authorities in England and Wales; how many there are in Cornwall; and how these relate to the total number of children in the age group in the two areas.

The following information relates to January, 1967:

Number of nursery classes in maintained nursery schools and primary schools
England and Wales	…	…	2,993
Cornwall	…	…	3

Children aged 2–4 attending nursery classes as percentage of age group
England and Wales	…	…	3·1
Cornwall	…	…	0·4

Children attending nursery schools part-time have each been counted as half a pupil. If one adds the number of children under five who attend primary schools full-time but are not in nursery classes, the proportion of the age group being educated in maintained schools is 8·8 per cent. in England and Wales and 5·6 per cent. in Cornwall.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give details of the allowances and expenses drawn by the British delegates to the Council of Europe for the past 12 months.

The cost of delegates' fares to and from Strasbourg for the Assembly's sessions and for meetings of the Assembly's Committees and of subsistence allowances paid to delegates for periods spent abroad on Assembly business for the 12 months from June 1967 to May 1968 is approximately £18,200.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give, for the longest convenient stated period of time, the names of British delegates to the Council of Europe who have been delegates on more than one occasion, and, in these instances, the number of times they have visited Strasbourg as British delegates.

No. The names of delegates to the Council of Europe are given to the House on their appointment, the last occasion being in my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stretford (Dr. Ernest A. Davies) on 26th April. As for visits to Strasbourg, it is not the practice to publish attendance records of an all-party Parliamentary delegation of this kind.—[Vol. 763, c. 90–2.]

asked the Minister of Health what additional finance is being made available to regional hospital boards to enable hospitals to meet their new responsibilities for the treatment of drug addicts.

The annual financial allocations to Regional Boards take account of expected developments in the hospital service and no special arrangements are necessary to meet the cost of facilities provided for the treatment of drug addiction.

asked the Minister of Health what is the weekly cost of in patient treatment in the Grace Swan Memorial Hospital, Spilsby in the Alford War Memorial Hospital in Boston General Hospital and in Lincoln County Hospital.

In the year 1966–67, £40 1s. 1d.; £45 8s. 8d.; £56 17s. l0d.; £51 0s. 3d.

asked the Minister of Health what is his estimate of the revenue that will be obtained by means of prescription charges paid between 10th June and the date of the introduction of any additional means of relief from charges by those patients who will eventually obtain this relief.

No such estimate is possible.

asked the Minister of Health how many seats were open to election in all categories of local authorities in England and Wales this year; in how many of these seats contests took place; and what percentage of the total electorate went to the poll in those seats.

I am informed by the Registrar General that returns in respect of the local authority elections held in 1968 are not yet complete. The information asked for should be available in about three months' time.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many rent assessment panels have been formed; what is the total number of staff employed; and what is the total annual cost to public funds.

Fifteen panels have been formed; the total staffing has now been reduced to 161; the total cost of the rent assessment committee service cannot be separated from that of the furnished rent tribunals which, outside London, are for the most part integrated with the panels; taken together, the cost over the last year was approximately £780,000.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he intends to hold the public inquiry into the Bingley, Yorkshire, central area comprehensive development plans, in view of the fact that the continued delay in such development is undermining the industry and trades of Bingley.

It is expected that a public inquiry into these comprehensive development area proposals will be held in October; the inquiry will also cover the recently submitted compulsory purchase orders.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the new restraints on bank lending, he will put an end to the system whereby the Treasury reimburses local authorities for the excess in their average borrowing costs above 4½ per cent.

It would frustrate the purpose of the Housing Subsidies Act, 1967, if the effective rate of interest at which local authorities borrow in respect of new dwellings were raised above the 4 per cent. stipulated in the Act. Such borrowings are already controlled by the authorisation of housing programmes and the cost limits imposed on every scheme for subsidy purposes.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes the recent increases in charges levied by the Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Valley Water Company.

No. I have no evidence suggesting that the company has failed to take full account of the criteria for price increases laid down in the recent White Paper (Cmnd. 3590).As my hon. Friend may know, the company will shortly bring into use a major new balancing reservoir; this, and a programme of trunk mains, have entailed heavy investment.

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what cost has fallen on his Vote as a result of the bomb incident at the Welsh Office on Saturday, 25th May.

I estimate that the work will cost just under £4,000. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate my staff and the maintenance contractor, who were on site shortly after 7.0 a.m. on Saturday, for their splendid job in making the building habitable for Monday.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the number of septic tanks and/or cesspools in use in England; how many dwellings they serve; and how the figures compare with those for Scotland and Wales, respectively.

A septic tank or a cesspool, if properly constructed and maintained and of adequate size, provides a satisfactory method of sewage disposal in suitable circumstances, and is likely to continue to be the only economic method of draining many houses in areas of scattered development. There has not therefore seemed any point hitherto in collecting information about the numbers in use. But if my hon. Friend will let me know what purpose he has in mind, I shall be glad to consider whether it would be practicable and worth while to try to get information of this kind from a future housing survey.

asked the Minister of Power (1) what have been the results so far of the experimental natural gas firing of boilers at Hams Hall power stations;(2) what plans he has for the extension of natural gas as a fuel to Hams Hall power stations.

My right hon. Friend understands from the C.E.G.B. that the experimental use of natural gas for one boiler at Hams Hall "C" has established that there are no technical limitations on the use of natural gas in power stations. The success of the experiment has encouraged the Board to apply for my right hon. Friend's consent to convert the remaining five boilers at that station.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of prescriptions he estimates will be issued to the 50 per cent. of the population to be exempted from charges after these charges have been introduced.

The proportion of the population estimated to be exempted from prescription charges is about 44 per cent. I would expect the proportion of prescriptions issued to exempt patients to be higher than this.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the students at each of the Scottish universities is English.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prospective students who were suitably qualified were refused places at Scottish universities in 1967.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mr. Hannan), on 20th March.—[Vol. 761, c. 99–100.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he now expects to receive the first report of the Tayside Study Group.

As was announced when the Study was commissioned, I expect the report to be completed and submitted to me by the autumn of next year, with publication by the end of the year. Meanwhile I receive regular reports on progress, as does the Tayside Consultative Group.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the names and total number of ad hoc bodies, boards, bureaux, commissions and regional authorities appointed by the Government with functions in Scotland.

I am not certain from my hon. Friends Question in which type or types of bodies he is particularly interested. If he will write defining more clearly the information he would like to have I will see what I can do to help him.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has finished his study of the recommendations contained in the Hunter Report, Command Paper No. 2691, published 5th August, 1965; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot yet add anything to the Answers on this subject which were given to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Dewar) on 6th March, 1968, and to the hon. Member for Moray and Nairn (Mr. G. Campbell) on 22nd May, 1968.—[Vol. 760, c. 95; Vol. 765, c. 516.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will introduce new library legislation in Scotland.

Since the organisation of library services must take account of local government organisation, it would be premature to introduce new library legislation until the report of the Royal Commission on Local Government has been received and considered. In the meantime, however, I have appointed a working party, including representatives of the local authority associations and the Scottish Library Association, to study the standards of the public library service in Scotland and to make recommendations about the standards that are desirable for an efficient service.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many seats were open to election in all categories of local authorities in Scotland this year; in how many of these seats contests took place; and what percentage of the total electorate went to the polls in those seats.

Some local authorities have not yet returned the information requested. As soon as it becomes available I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he does not advise chief constables in Scotland to offer to the trade shotguns, or other appropriate weapons, which have been surrendered to them during the recent amnesty, as is done in England and Wales.

I am advised that most of the shotguns handed to the police are old-fashioned, in poor condition and generally unsaleable but I have no objection to surrendered shotguns being offered to the trade and I am advising chief constables accordingly.

asked the Minister of Social Security what plans she has for the reorganisation of her local offices; and if she will make a statement.

Long-term plans are being prepared in collaboration with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Public Building and Works, for bringing the offices of my Ministry together into all-purpose social security offices. The great bulk of claims for all types of social security benefits are now made through the post and with the wide range and complexity of work they entail, it is essential to concentrate it into larger units, in order that the Ministry can continue to give a prompt and efficient service. This backroom work is expected eventually to be concentrated into some 400–450 offices.At these offices it will also, of course, be possible for people to call and make their claims and inquiries in person. In addition I envisage a supporting network of some 700 offices providing similar facilities for callers, of which about half, on present expectations, are likely to be open full-time and the remainder on one or more days a week according to need. The final network, accordingly, may be expected to provide full-time facilities at some 750–800 offices for people making either contributory or supplementary benefit claims and inquiries in person. This compares with the situation in June, 1966, before the merger of the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance and the National Assistance Board when full-time caller facilities were available in 860 places but for National Insurance purposes only; in 432 places for National Assistance purposes only; and in only 3 offices for both purposes. The 350 part-time public caller offices now visualised compare with 91 such offices in June 1966 for National Insurance purposes only; 75 for National Assistance purposes only; and 78 for both purposes.Before any change affecting an existing local office is made the local advisory committee in the area will, of course, be consulted. Hon. Members and local authorities for the constituencies concerned, will be informed of our proposals at the same time.

asked the Minister of Technology what consultations he has had with Rolls-Royce Limited concerning the rationalisation and reorganisation of that company which has involved the closure of its factory at Maesycoed, Cardiff.

My Department was informed in advance of the measures the company proposed to take.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give figures for the number of road accidents per 1 million gallons of fuel consumed for the months of October to December 1966 and the same period in 1967.

The figures for Great Britain were 73·1 and 60·3, respectively.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will introduce the proposed legislation for centralising vehicle and driver licensing.

I hope to do so next Session.

asked the Minister of Transport what special arrangements he has made to regulate, or obviate the possibility of, severe traffic congestion on the A64 trunk road at Tadcaster during the Whitsun holiday period.

None. We rely on the Chief Constable of the West Riding to do everything possible to keep traffic congestion to the minimum.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give instructions for a survey to be made, both statistical and photographic, of the extent of traffic delays during the Whitsun holiday period at the traffic bottleneck at Tadcaster on the A64 trunk road.

No. The seriousness of traffic congestion at this point is well known and plans to construct a bypass of Tadcaster have already been announced.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average annual value of sales of gold coins to the Members of the London Gold Market by United Kingdom residents in the years 1961 to 1966.

Figures before 1965 are not available. The total figures for 1965 and 1966 are under £1,000 and £110,000, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the value of sales of gold coins to the Members of the London Gold Market since 21st June, 1967.

£15,000 up to 30th April, 1968.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many gold coins have been compulsorily disposed of by residents in the United Kingdom on instructions from the Bank of England.

Since 26th April, 1966, the Bank of England have given instructions for the sale of 14,492 post-1837 gold coins.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the total number and the value of the post-1837 gold coins which have been declared by United Kingdom residents when applying for permission to retain the same pursuant to the provision of the Exchange Control (Gold Coins Exemption) Order, 1966, and for which Bank of England permission has been granted.

The figures for post-1837 gold coins are, respectively, 75,279 and at least £300,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures have been taken to ensure that the value of silver in current United Kingdom coins minted before 1947 accrues to the Exchequer.

Since the end of the last war the Royal Mint has had a silver recovery programme aimed at recovering this silver for the benefit of the Exchequer. Currency decimalisation offers the opportunity to speed this process. The Gold and Silver (Export Control, etc.) Act, 1920, prohibits the melting of gold or silver current United Kingdom coin except under licence granted by the Treasury. In practice such licences are not granted. An Order has been made by the Board of Trade—the Export of Goods (Control) (Amendment No. 3) Order 1968—imposing with effect from Tuesday, 4th June, next licensing control on the export of United Kingdom silver alloy coins minted before 1947, other than coins exported in a quantity not exceeding 10 in number. This Order is directed against the export of coins to be melted down overseas. At a later date I propose to seek powers to prohibit the melting down in the United Kingdom of demonetised coins except by or with the authority of the Treasury.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases, since June, 1966, have import consignments of cotton textiles been confiscated by Her Majesty's Customs because of falsification of documents; and what is the estimated value.

Eighteen consignments with a total declared value of £62,500.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the reasons for the cessation of Government direction of contracts to Harland and Wolff in Scotland; and whether he will reverse this decision in view of the fact that it will lead to the closure of the works.

There has been no direction of Government contracts to the Harland and Wolff factory at Scotstoun, Glasgow. The factory has in the past won certain Government contracts but at present no further need can be foreseen for the sort of work which it could undertake.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has officially received recently from the London bankers about the new squeeze on bank lending; and what reply he gave.

Representatives of the London clearing banks have asked to see me about this matter, and I am meeting them today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he does not pay female industrial civil servants at the same rate for the same work as men; what would be the additional cost of so doing; and whether he will undertake to do so as economic circumstances permit.

Equal pay for equal work will be introduced in the industrial Civil Service when economic circumstances permit. Depending upon

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT AT FACTOR COST
			1950	1960	1963	1966	1967
Education	…	…	3·0	4·0	4·7	5·4
National Health Service	…	…	4·1	3·8	3·8	4·3
Social security benefits	…	…	5·6	6·5	7·3	7·9	8·5
Housing	…	…	3·1	2·2	2·2	2·9

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give the amount of public expenditure devoted to the National Health Service as a proportion of gross national product in 1950, 1960, 1963 and 1967, together with an estimate for 1968–69;(2) if he will give the amount of public expenditure devoted to education as a proportion of gross national product in 1938, 1950, 1960, 1963 and 1967. together with an estimate for 1968–69;(3) if he will give the amount of public expenditure devoted to housing as a proportion of gross national product in 1938, 1950, 1960, 1963 and 1967, together with an estimate for 1968–69;(4) if he will give the amount of public expenditure devoted to social security as a proportion of gross national product in 1938, 1950, 1960, 1963 and 1967, together with an estimate for 1968–69;

The information is given in the table below for the years 1950, 1960, 1963 and 1966, the latest year for which complete information is available; figures for 1967 are so far available only for social security benefits. I regret that comparable figures for 1938 are not available, nor can estimates be given for 1968–69. The services are defined as for Table 53 of the 1967 Blue Book on National Income and Expenditure. Expenditure on the National Health Service excludes expenditure on local welfare services, milk and welfare foods.